Innovation in action: Empowering gene editing for the future of agriculture

We drive regional leadership in gene editing. This strategic initiative adds value to production and enhances productive development, creating new opportunities for a more competitive, sustainable, and efficient agricultural sector.

Context of the story

Conventional genetic breeding has always been a process that requires a lot of time. The recent appearance of gene editing (GE) is a significant leap in genetic modification technologies with a high impact on increasing sought-for variability. It allows deliberate modifications in the DNA sequence of specific genes to alter their expression (to silence or over-express them), replace alleles and introduce transgenes into predetermined genome sites. It can reduce genetic breeding time and produces an advantage in the generation of improved animals and plants, due to their lower cost and greater accessibility. To make the most of this possibility, it is necessary to generate and reinforce regional GE capacities.

A public-private initiative to level the gene editing playing field with developed countries

The implemented initiative

This initiative consolidates a research and knowledge application platform in gene editing (GE) to improve key species in the agricultural sector. GE modifies DNA sequences of specific genes to enhance their expression, introduce favorable alleles, or insert transgenes in precise locations within the genome of plants and animals, generating greater genetic variability with reduced time and costs. Additionally, many of these modifications are not subject to special regulations under the GMO definition of the Cartagena Protocol, facilitating their adoption. The project strengthens the capacities of public and private institutions in seven countries, promoting technological sovereignty and the development of innovative solutions for agricultural production.

Gene Editing: Innovation for Sustainable Agricultural Improvement

The technological solution

The project establishes an inter-institutional platform for research and application of gene editing (GE) knowledge to strengthen regional capacities in agricultural innovation. As part of its technological solutions, pilot initiatives are being implemented to develop improved potato varieties with enhanced health, nutritional, and industrial quality, contributing to food security and the development of more resilient crops. Additionally, genetic modification of soybeans is being advanced to reduce the presence of anti-nutritional compounds, making them more suitable for feeding monogastric species such as pigs, poultry, and fish, thereby optimizing feed conversion and production efficiency. In the livestock sector, the project promotes the generation of genetically modified animals to enhance meat and milk production, ensuring products with higher nutritional value that meet market demands.

"CRISPR/CAS9 technology will have a very important impact on our daily lives ... medicine, agriculture, research or manufacturing "green" chemicals are some areas that will improve thanks to it ..."

Jennifer Doudna, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2020

Participating countries

Type of project

Basic Genetics

Results

The gene editing project funded by FONTAGRO has achieved significant advancements in applying the CRISPR/Cas9 system to improve crops and animal species. In the agricultural sector, an educational booklet was designed to facilitate the understanding of this technology, with a focus on asexual reproduction crops such as potatoes. Additionally, regeneration and protoplast transfection processes were optimized, accelerating the development of improved varieties with greater genetic precision. In the livestock sector, specific sgRNA guides were developed for editing the bovine BLG gene to produce hypoallergenic milk and the MSTN gene in cattle and sheep to enhance meat productivity while minimizing unwanted genomic effects. Furthermore, an optimized in vitro protocol for producing genetically edited bovine embryos was developed, reducing fertilization time without affecting embryo development.